Cleaning brush

ABSTRACT

A brush, having a back with bristles distributed from edge to edge on one surface. The sides and ends of the back form a rhomboid with opposite projecting corners of between 40* to 60*. The brush has a size peculiarly adapted to fit the human hand with one of the projecting corners extending between the thumb and index finger and providing particular utility for cleaning in corners.

United States Patent [191 Miller Dec. 9, 1975 CLEANING BRUSH [75] Inventor: Douglas E. Miller, Burnsville, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn.

[22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 436,054

[52] US. Cl. 15/114; 15/159 A; 15/186; 15/244 C [51] Int. Cl.. ..A46B 3/04; A47L 13/12; A47L 13/16 [58] Field of Search 15/114, 115, 159 R, 160, 15/166, 186

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1884 Baker 15/159 R 12/1968 Lemelson 15/118 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 375,267 France 15/160 France 15/160 1,080,217 5/1954 France 15/160 1,115,660 1/1956 France 15/244 C 736,642 6/1966 Canada 15/114 1,503,801 10/1967 France /118 Primary ExaminerDaniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander, Sell, Steldt & DeLaI-Iunt [57] ABSTRACT A brush, having a back with bristles distributed from edge to edge on one surface. The sides and ends of the back form a rhomboid with opposite projecting corners of between to 60. The brush has a size peculiarly adapted to fit the human hand with one of the projecting corners extending between the thumb and index finger and providing particular utility for cleaning in corners.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 9 1975 3,924,286

/0 x FY6 23 Z0 1 CLEANING BRUSH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to brushes used for manual scrubbing or polishing of the type comprising a blocklike back adapted to be manually grasped, and a multiplicity of generally parallel bristles projecting from the back so that their tips define a generally planar surface.

Known brushes of the aforementioned type have heretofore had certain structural features which made them inconvenient to use.

In some known brushes of the aforementioned type the bristles are tufted. The back of a tufted brush normally has a greater length and width than the surface defined by the tips of the bristles. Thus the tufted brush cannot conveniently be used to clean in corners formed by three normally intersecting surfaces because of interference from both the users fingers and the overlapping back.

In other known brushes of the aforementioned type the bristles are individually embedded in the back and are distributed between and to the sides and ends of the back. While the back of a brush having individually embedded bristles may not project beyond the area defined by the ends of the bristles, heretofore such brushes have had generally rectangular backs, and do not solve the aforementioned problem of finger interference when they are used to clean in corners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A brush according to the present invention has bristles distributed between and to its sides and ends, has a back shaped to afford a peculiarly comfortable grip on the brush for the user when compared to that afforded by a similar brush having a rectangular back. The brush is shaped to provide a projecting corner which, when the back is grasped, is adapted to extend between the users thumb and index finger and provide particular utility for cleaning in corners such as those formed by three intersecting surfaces.

According to the present invention there is provided a brush of the type comprising a back adapted to be manually grasped. The back has opposite first and second major surfaces, opposite first and second side surfaces extending between said major surfaces, and an end surface joining the major and side surfaces. A plurality of generally parallel bristles are individually embedded in the back and project from the second major surface of the back between and to the edges of the second major surface. The tips of the bristles generally define a common plane having a shape and size which is generally the same as that of the first and second major surfaces, all of which is known from the prior art.

In the brush according to the present invention however, the height of the brush from the common plane defined by the tips of the bristles to the first major surface is at least 1% inches, and the width of the back between the side surfaces is in the range of 2 to 4 inches. This provides adequate distance around the brush so that the normal human hand can be positioned with the thumb along the first side surface, the palm of the hand on the first major surface and at least the little and ring about 40 to 60. This positions the end surface to comfortably receive at least the index finger, (the ring finger being either along the side or end surface as the user deems most comfortable) with a projecting corner so formed extending between the thumb and index finger. The projecting corner of the brush extends beyond the hand and has an angle of substantially less than 90 so that it provides particular utility in cleaning corners as is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like numbers refer to like parts in the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brush according to the present invention being used to clean in a corner;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal plan view of the, brush of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the brush of FIG. 1, with a part thereof broken away and shown in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated a brush according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The brush has a back 12 adapted for manual engagement (FIG. 1) from which project a multiplicity of generally parallel bristles 14 adapted to clean or polish a surface against which they are rubbed.

The brush 10 and back 12 are both a parallelepiped in shaped. The back 12 has planar surfaces including opposite first and second major surfaces 16 and 18 respectively, each in the shape of a rhomboidal parallelogram; rectangular opposed first and second side surfaces 20 and 22 respectively, and rectangular'opposed end surfaces 24. At opposite corners of the back 12 the end and side surfaces 24, 20 and 22 are disposed at an acute angle to provide a pair of projecting corners 26. The bristles 14 are individually embedded in the back 12 to project from the second major surface 18, and have tips defining a generally common plane 28 generally coresponding in shape and size to the first and second major surfaces of the back 12.

The back 12, as illustrated, comprises a relatively thin layer 30 of a semi-rigid polymeric material such as a polyurethane which provides the second major surface 18 of the brush l0 and in which the bristles 14 are embedded; and a thicker layer 32 of a flexible, resilient polymeric open cell foam material, such as a polyester, adhered to the thin layer 30. The foam layer 32 deflects slightly when the brush 10 is grasped, thereby providing greater comfort to the user. Additionally, the foam layer 32 can serve to hold a supply of detergent to be applied to a surface being cleaned, if this is desired. Alternatively the back 12 could consist entirely of one material such as a polyurethane.

Preferably, brushes 10 according to the present invention are made by cutting them along the side and end surfaces 20, 22 and 24 from a sheet ofcommercially available brush material such as that sold under the trade designation Brushlon by Minnesota Mining fingers are along the second side surface opposite the thumb. Most importantly, the first side surface has a length of at least 3 inches and intersects the end surface (which is adjacent the end of the thumb when the brush is grasped) to form an acute included angle of between 3,924,286 3 4 layer of a semi-rigid polyurethane material having a I claim: Shore A Durometer value of about 88, with a 1 inch 1. A brush including: layer of light blue open cell polyester or polyether foam a back having opposite first and second parallel adhered to the side of the polyurethane layer opposite major surfaces, opposite first and second side sur' thebristles. 5 faces extending between said major surfaces, and The shape of the brush allows a multiplicity of end surfaces joining said major and side surfaces, brushes to be cut from a large sheet of brush material said back comprising a layer of a stiff resilient polywith no loss of brush material between adjacent urethane about one-eighth inch thick defining said bfuSheS- second major surface, and a layer of a flexible resilthAsb a tilrei ferredil nonlimiting lexamggehtltre llleilght Sf 10 item gpen ttzlell pglyeiter goanj abottifi 1 incfh thick ade rus rom t e common p ane e ine y t e ere to t e si e o sa1 p0 yure ane ayer oppotips of the bristles is about 2 inches, the width of the site said second major surface; and back 12 between the side surfaces 20 and 22 is 3 multiplicity of generally parallel polypropylene h th 1 h f th 'd rf b 4 b tl b t 0.01 inch in diameter individuall ifizhzi an; tlf ngl betv vei n thi sid zilr f ac es li and 15 er r iieii d dir i said back and projecting about seven 22 and the end surfaces 24 at the projecting corners 26 eighths inch from the second major surface of said is about 60. back, the bristles being distributed between and to The brush 10 illustrated is adapted for use only in the the edges of said second major surface with the disright hand; the brush being shaped so that when the tal ends of said bristles defining a common plane Sid; surfaces h 231d 22hare grtigntgd vjlitllloone of th:l 20 halyting about the same shape and size as the ma or su aces nort an sout an e rus 1s viewe su aces; from the first major surface 16, the side and end surwherein said major surfaces are rhomboidal in shape, faces 20, 22 and 24 form projecting corners 26 at the the height of said brush from said common plane to northwest and southwest corners of the brush 10. The 25 said first major surface is about 2 inches, the width brush 10 may be grasped in the right hand with the of said back between said side surfaces is about 3 thumb along either the first or second side surface 20 inches, and said side surfaces have a length of or 22 to provide a projecting corner 26 between the about 4 /2 inches and when one of said side surfaces thumb and index finger. A similar brush adapted for is oriented north and the other south and the brush use only in the left hand can easily be made by making 30 is viewed from the first major surface said side and a brush with major surfaces which are the mirror image end surfaces are disposed at an included angle of of the major surfaces 16 and 18 illustrated. Brushes acabout 60 with said end surfaces at the northeast cording to the present invention can also be made with and southwest corners of the first ma or surface to two projecting comers along a first side surface so that form projecting corners of the brush, said brush by changing ends the brush can be used either in the being peculiarly adapted to fit a right human hand right or left hand. Other possible configurations include with one of said projecting corners extending bea brush adapted for use either in the left or right hand tween the thumb and index finger ofthe hand and which has only one projecting corner and an end surhaving bristles to its edges to provide particular face of the brush opposite the projecting comer disutility for cleaning in corners. posed at a right angle to the side surfaces.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,92 r,286

DATED December 9, 1975 INV ENTOR(S) Douglas. E. Miller It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 33, change "shaped" to shape Column 3, line 2 1, after "and" (first occurrence) insert the other surface 3 and line 2, change "northwest" to northeast Signed and Scaled this sixteenth D ay 0f March 1 9 76 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ufParenrs and Trademarks 

1. A BRUSH INCLUDING: A BACK HAVING OPPOSISTE FIRST AND SECOND PARALLEL MAJOR SURFACES, OPPOSITE FIRST AND SECOND SIDE SURFACES EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID MAJOR SURFACES, AND END SURFACES JOINING SAID MAJOR AND SIDE SURFACES, SAID BACK COMPRISING A LAYER OF A STIFF RESILIENT POLYURETHANE ABOUT ONE-EIGHT INCH THICK DEFINING SAID SECOND MAJOR SURFACE, AND A LAYER OF A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT OPEN CELL POLYESTER FOAM ABOUT 1 INCH THICK ADHERED TO THE SIDE OF SAID POLYURETHANE LAYER OPPOSITE SAID SECOND MAJOR SURFACE; AND A MULTIPLICITY OF GENERALLY PARALLEL POLYPROPYLENE BRISTLES ABOUT 0.01 INCH IN DIAMTER INDIVIDUALLY EMBEDDED IN SAID BACK AND PROJECTING ABOUT SEVEN-EIGHTS INCH FROM THE SECOND MAJOR SURFACE OF SAID BACK, THE BRISTLES BEING DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN AND TO THE EDGES OF SAID SECOND MAJOR SURFACE WITH THE DISTAL ENDS OF SAID BRISTLES DEFINING A COMMON PLANE HAVING ABOUT THE SAME SHAPE AND SIZE AS THE MAJOR SURFACES; WHEREIN SAID MAJOR SURFACES ARE RHOMBOIDAL IN SHAPE, THE HEIGHT OF SAID BRUSH FROM SAID COMMON PLANE TO SAID FIRST MAJOR SURFACE IS ABOUT 2 INCHES, THE WIDTH IF SAID BACK BETWEEN SAID SIDE SURFACES IS ABOUT 3 INCHES, AND SAID SIDE SURFACES HAVE A LENGTH OF ABOUT 4 1/2 INCHES AND WHEN ONE OF SAID SIDE SURFACES IS ORIENTED NORTH AND THE OTHER SOUTH AND THE BRUSH IS VIEWED FROM THE FIRST MAJOR SURFACE SAID SIDE AND END SURFACES IS ABOUT 3 INCHES, AND SAID SIDE ABOUT 60* WITH SAID END SURFACES AT THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST CORNERS OF THE FIRST MAJOR SURFACE TO FORM PROJECTING CORNERS OF THE BRUSH, SAID BRUSH BEING PECULIARYLY ADAPTED TO FIT A RIGHT HUMAN HAND WITH ONE OF SAID PROJECTING CORNERS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER OF THE HAND AND HAVING BRISTLES TO ITS EDGES TO PROVIDE PARTICULAR UTILITY FOR CLEANING IN CORNERS. 